In the early hours of the morning on December 2, 2017, St. Mary’s Mission on the Red Lake Indian Reservation in the far reaches of northern Minnesota went up in flames and was destroyed.
The parish serving the Ojibwe people was established in 1858 and had stood for nearly 125 years.
The people were crushed.
Brandi Jourdain is a longtime parishioner and secretary of the parish’s school.
It was just the worst feeling the night that it happened.”
Three generations of her family—her parents, siblings and children—had attended the school and worshipped at the church that was now gone.
She continued,
“There were so many memories that went with that church. That was a huge loss, not just for me but for our whole community,” Jourdian said. “The following weekend we filled up the school gym and we all had services together and tried to make peace.”
“There were a lot of tears shed. Basically, it was a funeral.”
A critical presence
After the fire, no one was ready to give up on St. Mary’s Mission, especially Catholic Extension Society, which has invested more than $1.6 million in this community’s church and school over the past 45 years. The church’s presence is essential in a place that faces many economic challenges. Its school for Native American children is a safe and nurturing environment amid the high suicide rates and drug addiction that are all too common in this area.
Catholic Extension Society also supports a suicide prevention and grief counselor for the reservation.
Father John Christianson, pastor of St. Mary’s Mission Church and school superintendent and administrator, explained,
The mission of this church has served as that safeguard for the people.”
Catholic Extension Society is now proudly supporting the new church’s construction. It will be dedicated later this year.
A place of opportunity
The Catholic Church provides the community not only shelter and safety but also resources and opportunity.
Longtime parishioner Charmaine Branchaud has seen those opportunities presented to her family thanks to St. Mary’s Mission Church and School. She and her husband sent their two sons to the school, pictured below.
One of her sons is now a case manager for the homeless, helping people get back on their feet and becoming part of the solution after witnessing the struggles the Ojibwe face in Red Lake.
“He loves helping people, and I think if he hadn’t gotten his Catholic education at St. Mary’s, I don’t know that this would have been part of his personality and character,” Branchaud said. “It made us giving and loving people.”
The Branchauds are part of the dedicated core group of Ojibwe parishioners at St. Mary’s Mission who have been celebrating Mass in their temporary worship space now for six years.
Having their new church now nearly complete means getting a permanent place to call their own again.
Father Christianson said,
To give those people a place that they can call church, it warms your heart.”
A home for the Ojibwe
The new church will have signage up both in English and Ojibwe. The late Father Jerry Rogers, a two-time Catholic Extension Society Lumen Christi Award nominee who passionately served St. Mary’s Mission from 2009 until his death in September 2022, had commissioned a statue of Jesus and Mary depicted as Ojibwe people.
St. Mary’s Mission is welcoming the people of the Red Lake Indian Reservation back into a Catholic church where they will have a home for many generations to come. Moreover, it signifies that they are not forgotten by the Church.
“The new building will become, in a very short time, an invitation to evangelization. It will be a great gift and blessing to the people of Red Lake Nation,” said Reathel Giannonatti, director for the office of stewardship and development for the Diocese of Crookston.
Branchaud couldn’t contain her joy as she spoke about the new church.
“I get to be inside of a new, beautiful building,” she exclaimed. “It’s absolutely gorgeous! I fell in love with it as soon as I walked in. No amount of thank-yous can even express our gratitude for helping us build this church.”
Catholic Extension Society is a non-profit organization that builds up vibrant and transformative Catholic faith communities in the poorest regions of America. Our support of the faith community in this story is made possible thanks to the generosity of our donors. Please consider supporting our mission!
